Niigata #5-B POW CampNorthwest coast of Honshu
Island Approximately 150 km north of Kobe. At the time, Niigata
population estimated at 145,000. (37° 58' N., 139° 02’ E.)LocationArea map

Tokyo 5-B
NIIGATA-ken, NAKAKAMBARA-gun, OGATA-mura
(NIIGATA KAIRIKU UNSO)Time
Line: Facts: Known to have 250 men at rescue.20 Aug 1943:Established; first located at NIIGATA-shi, NUTTARI3 Sep 1943: 300 men arrive from Hong Kong plus some Dutch
sailors from sunk submarine. Hell ship was the collier, "Manryu
Maru".7 Oct 1943: About 350 men of the American enlisted
men of all services (ex- Taga Maru also known as Coral Maru)
arrive. At arrival, 200 Canadian and 7 Dutch were already present.20 Oct 1943: 5 Yank officers and 3 medicics arrive- Major
Fellows is senior OIC.30 Oct 1943: British doctor, Major William "Bill" Stewart,
R.A.M.C., arrives from Tokyo Kawasaki Branch Camp 1B.4 Dec 1943: Moved to NIIGATA-ken, NAKAKAMBARA-gun,
OGATA-mura7 May 1944: First mail arrived1 Jan 1944: Barracks roof collapses at 2:00 A.M. from snow
load - eight men killed18 Jan 1944:Moved to NIIGATA
KAIRIKI UNSO CO. LTD., NIIGATA TEKKOJO1 Apr 1944: Moved to NIIGATA-ken, NAKAKAMBARA-gun, OGATA-mura, again4 Apr 1944: Foundry men come under control of Civilians
at Niigata Engineering Works1 Jul 1944: 150 civilians from Wake arrive late at night.
Previously held in Shanghai.5 Sep 1944: Foundry men move to another camp 1/4 mile away.18 Jan 1945: Foundry men moved to new barracks and
location- receive first Red Cross box, one for every two men.6 Mar 1945: Four officers arrive- 2 -NZ, one -USN and a
B-24 engineer, 2nd Lt Charles H. Shaver, O&797085.22 Apr 1945: First B-29 sighted over camp3 June 1945: 100 men arrive including Joe Green5 June 1945: 125 of the men arrived from the Kawasaki POW
Camp (Tokyo Dispatch Camp #5) where the steel mill no longer
functioned. (area destroyed in air raids) A number of China Marines
were in this new group. The prior 125 men were mostly from the
Philippines plus a few Canadians. Medic was a Canadian.2 Jul 1945: Wake Island civilians arrive from China
including Jim Allen.
[Source- Chittenden, p 166-7]10 July 1945: B-29's mine the harbor14 Aug 1945: A.W. Rance, fluent in Japanese, translated
the Emporer's surrender speech for the Niigata POWs as it was being
delivered.xx Aug 1945: Camp spotted by pilots from the USS Lexington5 Sept 1945: 10:00 P.M. Rescue effected as men depart
camp by train for Yokohama- arrive next morning at 7:00 A.M.Aerial Photograph:
Camp first
spotted by planes from the carrier, USS Lexington

"From China Marine to Jap POW" by W.H. Chittenden, 1995. Author
lives in Wheaton, IL - out of print; check for
availability as a used book.

"From Manila to Niigata, A Prisoner of War Narrative WWII",
Joseph C. Baxter Jr, 2007, XLibris (Publisher
Link) Excellent narrative but his roster of those who perished has
numerous flaws. See roster above.Japanese Camp Staff:
Complete list of Japanese staff at surrender and picture of regular
staff
Train Wreck
Niigata POWS help rescue Japanese injured in train wreck on way to
Yokohama